Completely different. I also haven't liked anything I've heard in the cm line. Going to the 800 series isn't so much like "lifting a veil" as much as it's like removing a thick soggy blanket that's been covering the speaker. This is not because the diamond is magical, it's because (to me) it sounds like the cm has no tweeter at all. Just no highs. Ymmv of course.

Sent using Tapatalk since the mobile version is still [emoji107]

Was that the CMS1 or CMS2 you are referring to. To my understanding the series 2 was a big jump. The only CM I have heard was the CM7 which ended my desire to get CM9s.

Completely different. I also haven't liked anything I've heard in the cm line. Going to the 800 series isn't so much like "lifting a veil" as much as it's like removing a thick soggy blanket that's been covering the speaker. This is not because the diamond is magical, it's because (to me) it sounds like the cm has no tweeter at all. Just no highs. Ymmv of course.

Sent using Tapatalk since the mobile version is still [emoji107]

curious, is this impression based on a particular speaker in the CM line, or based on listening to all of them?

Speakers: Kef R900, R600c, R800ds
Sub: SVS SB 13 ultra
TV: Samsung 78HU9000
Receiver: Onkyo 838
Blu Ray: Oppo 103
Turntable: Onkyo CP1050
very nice looking setup - I think you may have posted some specs for the size of the room but I may have missed them/can't find them. I am wondering how far back the opening on the front left side goes and how large it is. are the speakers firing down the length of the room i assume?

I ask cause cause I dealt with a lot of speaker placement frustrations due to an L shaped room.

Was that the CMS1 or CMS2 you are referring to. To my understanding the series 2 was a big jump. The only CM I have heard was the CM7 which ended my desire to get CM9s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pickering.tim

curious, is this impression based on a particular speaker in the CM line, or based on listening to all of them?

It was 2 floorstanders and one bookshelf at two different shops on different equipment over the past 2-3yrs. Every time it was the same, very muted highs. Maybe that's what they were going for with the design, who knows, but I can't see what the advantage of such a design would be if it was intentional.

I've recently purchased some KEF T-series speakers to be mounted in the ceiling for an Atmos height setup.

These are the T101 models and according to KEF's website the lower -3dB limit is rated at 80Hz. Much to my surprise, when reading the owner's manual - it states a much higher recommended crossover frequency setting of 120Hz.

Can other T-sereis owers confirm the above?

I've also got the KEF E301 series of speakers and so far the owner's manual and website matches the recommended lower -3dB freqeuncy of 90Hz.

It kind of bothers me that a reputable manufacturer such as KEF would play this type of trick.

It kind of bothers me that a reputable manufacturer such as KEF would play this type of trick.

While i would return the T's for more eggs - it seems that the polar properties of concentric drivers are even more crucial for height effects than for main channels - I don't see a trick. Sure, the speakers might have an F3 of whatever, but F3 is not how low they can play without strain. That depends on clean volume displacement, not frequency response.

For that matter, 90Hz is way too low for E305s's, unless they're in a corner. I actually recently bought a pair of them to test out for Atmos heights, and I think 150Hz is a better approximation of their clean bass limits. Unfortunately, I think the E305 may be a step back from the old HTS3005SE. I'll have to re-measure my HTS3005SE's when I get a chance. It may be that the E305 driver is better (albeit less elegant - heavy ceramic ring magnet for the woofer vs. lightweight neo magnet on the 3005), but the new crossover is too minimalist for use in a high-fidelity system. The HTS3005SE had a surprisingly complex crossover for a tiny and relatively inexpensive speaker. The E305, I gather from measurements (I'll let this thread know when I've processed them and put up my writeup on my blog, below) has a much simpler crossover.

--
"In many cases there aren’t two sides unless one side is 'reality' and the other is 'nonsense.'" - Phil PlaitSerious Audio Blog

Don't know how to remove the grill on the E301. Haven't tried to be honest.

The wife has killed the idea of placing the E301 on the ceiling due to the "ugliness" factor so the T101 are going up there instead. The specs clearly say 80Hz and a maximum SPL of 107dB - with no distortion numbers or what the -3dB point is. That was the misleading part. The mistake made by me was ASSuming (which is a bad thing) that the -3dB point was at 80Hz and this is clearly not the case. Not sure how KEF tested the T101, under what conditions and the type of room, etc. The T series are very different to the E-series and believe KEF has a white paper on their T-series design. The T-series do not incorporate the Uni-Q drivers.

For the E301, the 90Hz crossover is a bit on the generous side to say the least - even though it's specified as the -3dB point. I did a frequency sweep at the Main Listening Position (MLP) and the THD went up noticeably below 160Hz - will have to dig up the graph somewhere if anyone is interested. I've now crossed all the E301 at 120Hz and contemplating a more accurate mid-bass module and integrating with the E series with an active external electronic crossover + external amps. Thinking this will help with the T101 also somehow.

Been looking for, but I haven't seen any polar plots for the T101 or E301. If you know where they are - would appreciate a link.

Hey everyone. I currently have my Denon's crossover set to 80Hz for all my speakers. I noticed on Kef's site that the Q800's only show 100Hz and up. Should I change it for them or just leave everything set flat at 80? I don't want to damage the speakers by pushing something to them that they can't handle.

Speakers: Kef R900, R600c, R800ds
Sub: SVS SB 13 ultra
TV: Samsung 78HU9000
Receiver: Onkyo 838
Blu Ray: Oppo 103
Turntable: Onkyo CP1050
very nice looking setup - I think you may have posted some specs for the size of the room but I may have missed them/can't find them. I am wondering how far back the opening on the front left side goes and how large it is. are the speakers firing down the length of the room i assume?

I ask cause cause I dealt with a lot of speaker placement frustrations due to an L shaped room.

The front of the room is about 17' wide, the back of the room about 14' wide. The room is about 25' long. Ceilings are 9' down most of the length of the room, but shorter in the opening. I would say that the opening goes about 10' on the left side.

The speakers are firing down the long side of the room.

What should I look out for in sound regarding placement in the L shape?